eng Oriental Scientific Publishing Company Biomedical and Pharmacology Journal 0974-6242 2026-06-29 19 2 72434 article Imane Ait kaddour 1 Ismail Sahlaoui 1 Latifa Mochhoury 1 Fatima zahra Laamiri 1 Milouda Chebabe 1 Department of Health Sciences and Technologies, Higher Institute of Health Sciences, Hassan First University of Settat, Settat, Morocco Childbirth preparation is an essential component of prenatal care, helping to improve pregnant women’s knowledge, reduce anxiety, and promote their psychological well-being, particularly in areas with low socioeconomic status, where childbirth is often perceived as a stressful experience. In this context, it appears necessary to assess the impact of these interventions on the mental health of pregnant women. This study aims to evaluate the effect of a structured childbirth preparation program on the psychological well-being of pregnant women in the province of Settat. A single-group pre-post cohort study was conducted over a 10-month period between February and December 2025, including 205 pregnant women, with ethical approval obtained prior to data collection. The intervention consisted of a structured childbirth preparation program comprising four sessions led by a midwife, incorporating educational, psychological, and physical components. Data were collected using sociodemographic questionnaires, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Body Image Scale (BIS), with assessments conducted at baseline (pre-test, T0) and immediately after the final session of the program (post-test, T1). Participants had a mean age of 28.07 ± 6.19 years, with the majority coming from lower-income backgrounds (53.7%) and reporting a high baseline fear of childbirth. Following the intervention, a significant reduction in psychological scores was observed; for anxiety (HADS-A), the mean score decreased from 12.42 ± 4.44 to 7.37 ± 2.97, and the depression score (HADS-D) decreased from 12.50 ± 4.74 to 7.44 ± 3.04. Furthermore, the BIS score also showed a significant decrease, moving from 23.32 ± 7.86 to 12.89 ± 2.62. These pre-post differences were statistically significant with large Cohen's effect sizes (0.94, 0.86 and 1.22, respectively), indicating a meaningful trend toward better psychological adaptation. In conclusion, the positive outcomes observed following this childbirth preparation program suggest the potential value of systematically integrating such interventions into prenatal care in Morocco, particularly in resource-limited regions. https://biomedpharmajournal.org/vol19no2/evaluation-of-a-childbirth-preparation-program-regarding-anxiety-depression-and-body-image-among-pregnant-women-a-single-group-pre-post-cohort-study-in-the-province-of-settat-morocco/ Anxiety Body image Childbirth preparation Depression Pregnant women